AI Companies Are Thirsty for Data Centers, but Americans Oppose Them Nearby
A recent Gallup poll found that a majority of Americans oppose data centers, which require extensive amounts of electricity and water to operate, and negatively affect local communities.
3 min read
There's a growing backlash against the construction of local data centers, which consume massive amounts of electricity for compute and water for cooling in order to power artificial intelligence. According to a newly released Gallup survey, 7 out of 10 (71%) Americans oppose new AI data center construction in their area, with nearly half (48%) saying they're strongly opposed.
Data centers have drawn increased scrutiny and resistance, with concerns about water shortages, noise and air pollution, and the depletion of land and energy resources. Communities across the US have protested new construction, and calls for moratoriums and bans have been growing.
This is the first poll that Gallup has conducted about data centers. The results highlight some...
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